Wither
by Arasia
Summary: when the sun goes, the plants will wither.


**title.** Wither

**disclaimer.** I don't own Bleach, much to my dismay.

**summary.** when the sun goes, the plants will wither.

**A.N.** The events differ a little from canon a bit cuz i needed to tweak them for the story.

* * *

When they arrived on the scene, the hollow had long escaped.

Seeing them, Masaki uncurled her body from its protective shield around her son and slumped against the ground. Yoruichi whisked a still unconscious Ichigo away, bringing him away from the scene before he could wake and witness the horror.

She was still as bright as ever, with her honey hair and amber coloured eyes. The dark copper liquid of her own blood could not dull her.

Isshin fell to his knees, the strength leaving his legs. He was trembling violently, so violently, he could see his hands shaking as he reached out to her. Even as she coughed up blood, she smiled at him. He gripped her hand tightly in his, they were cold, and shaking from his own trembling. Desperately he held her hand up to his cheek, trying to rub some warmth into it, pleading, pleading for her to stay with him, not to leave him, how could she leave him? How could he bring up Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin without her?

Masaki just smiled, serene despite the blood around her mouth, around her body, that flowed in rivulets and into the ground. How was she so beautiful even in death? '_You'll do great_', she murmured. '_I need you. Our family needs you,'_ he begged, and her cold fingers curled to cup his cheek.

"I love you, Isshin," she whispered, and seeing the shimmering light of her love fade from her eyes, it broke him.

Body wracking sobs, guttural cries, it didn't matter how uncool he looked at that moment because the one woman he always wanted to appear cool for could no longer see him. Clutching her hand to his chest like a lifeline, the immense amount of grief he never knew he could contain spilled forth and gushed out like a broken dam.

It was only after hours in the rain, when Kisuke and Tessai's heavy hands landed on his shoulder, that he realised that the liquid running down his face were no longer tears, only rain. Isshin could find no more tears to cry, only a dull deaden ache in his chest, as if someone had ripped his heart out. And it probably wouldn't have been too far from the truth, for the woman who had held his heart had been torn from him, and with her his heart had gone. He didn't even register what happened next, but when he finally took in his surroundings again he was sitting in Kisuke's shop, who was reassuring him that Tessai was taking care of Masaki's body, and Yoruichi the children.

He felt helpless, so helpless, where he once was strong, where he should still be strong, to protect his family. Where _she_ should still be strong as well, she should have been strong enough to take on that bastard of a hollow. Those damned quincies and their damned power stealing rituals! Isshin rose to his feet, his thoughts clouded with rage and his eyes blinded with anger. He burst out of the shop, ignoring Kisuke's frantic calls. His legs pumped, running, running, not conscious of where he was going, but moving on autopilot, and before he knew it, was at Ryuuken's front door. A roar ripped out of his throat as he kicked the door, bashing it down with strength brought on by fury. Ryuuken was standing by the curved stairwell in the hall, a shadow clutching the banister so hard his knuckles had turned white.

Isshin descended upon him with a mighty blow, a right hook across Ryuuken's jaw that snapped his head to the side, it's impact ringing audibly in the vast, empty hall. Thundering about sick twisted quincy traditions that stole the light from his life, the sun from his family, Isshin rained blow after blow onto Ryuuken, who simply stood there taking his blows and did not retaliate.

"Kanae. She's gone too."

And suddenly, all the rage driven strength and anger drained out of him. Isshin sank to the floor, Ryuuken sliding down beside him at the loss of Isshin's grip holding him up. Both men sat there with their heads bowed, broken, lifeless, and did not speak a single word.

For when the sun goes, the plants will wither.


End file.
